Bleach: Bonds Beyond Dimensions
by RertyanTheDark
Summary: With his Soul Reaper powers restored, and his hollow finally subdued once and for all, Ichigo Kurosaki thinks his life can finally go back to normal. However, a visit to Seireitei soon changes that theory for the young Substitute. Can Ichigo adjust to his new life, or will he give in and return to how it was before? **Follows on from Darkest Side of Me** Warnings/Pairings inside!
1. Chapter 1

_**Brief: **With his Soul Reaper powers restored, and his hollow finally subdued once and for all, Ichigo Kurosaki thinks his life can finally go back to normal. However, a visit to Seireitei soon changes that theory for the young Substitute. Can Ichigo adjust to his new life, or will he give in and return to how it was before?_

_**Warnings: **Contains some aggressive language, possible violence and romance throughout. Reader discretion is advised if any of the above offend you._

_**Pairings: **IchiRuki, may contain smaller pairings such as ByaHis or HitsuHina_

_**SPOILERS from the Fullbring Arc and previous**_

_**Note: **This is a sequel of my previous work entitled 'Darkest Side of Me'. It is recommended that you read that first before this one!_

_**Disclaimer: **Bleach is the property of Tite Kubo, not me. If I owned Bleach, Ichigo would already be with Rukia ;)_

* * *

**Bleach: Bonds Beyond Dimensions**

**Chapter 1: The Head-Captain's Offer**

The air above the spiritually enriched zone known as Karakura Town was fairly still and quiet as people went about their businesses. The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting a lazy, dull orange glow over the small urbanised region of Japan, making the golden leaves on the trees look more like bronze. The wind was low, blowing lazily over the cityscape and carrying with it the scents of restaurants as they began preparing for the evening, of cars as they crawled throughout the gridlocked streets, and of the aroma of autumn which hung thick in the air. All seemed quiet in the World of the Living, but that all changed when a cloud of smoke kicked up in the park, startling the people walking there with their friends and families. No one could see the cause, nor could they see or hear the orange and black haired people running into the area.

"Damn hollow," the orange-haired man growled, his sword already in hand. "Bastard doesn't want to quit!"

"Stay on your toes, Ichigo!" The young man turned to his partner and nodded.

"I know that, Rukia," he replied.

The hollow reared up and swung its scythe-like arm at a young soul as it ran from the beast, missing by inches. The creature backed up and tried again as the soul tripped, falling over and making it impossible to escape the second attack. The bladed arm swung in close to the soul, but it met another blade, that of Zangetsu as Ichigo intercepted.

"Stay behind me, kid," he told the young soul, who simply nodded, too startled to reply verbally. "Now, Rukia!"

"Hado 33! Sokatsui!" A blast of blue flames crashed down upon the hollow from Rukia's outstretched hands. It roared in pain and backed away, allowing Ichigo to swing upwards, cleaving the arm off. Rukia turned to her Substitute. "Finish it, Ichigo!"

"Right!" he nodded, channelling his reiatsu into the blade of Zangetsu. A blue aura erupted from the zanpakuto, fiercely lighting up the area. Ichigo roared, reeling back his sword to his right shoulder. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

A disc of blue energy shot outwards as Ichigo swung his zanpakuto. Startled by the attack, the hollow could only watch as the disc pierced its left arm, which it had raised to intercept the strike, and continued through its masked face, blowing through it as if water parting around a boat. The hollow cried out in pain and fury, but it was too late for it as the mask began to turn to black reshi and dissipated, the hollows huge body doing the same as it was cleansed. Ichigo, satisfied that the hollow was dealt with, sealed his zanpakuto and turned to the young soul, who was cowering on the path before him. He smiled softly as he crouched down, his katana in hand at his side.

"It's ok," he informed the soul. "That creature's gone now; it won't harm you."

"Th- thanks, mister," the brown-haired boy smile weakly, shaking a little.

"You know, you should go to Soul Society," Ichigo went on. "If you don't, more of those creatures might try to get you. I don't want you to be scared, that's why I have to perform a konso on you."

"I don't w- want to leave here, though," the boy replied. Ichigo smiled.

"No one wants to at first," he explained. "But the Soul Society is a wonderful place where you can be safe from those monsters and maybe even become a Soul Reaper like me."

"Really?" the boy's eyes lit up.

"Really," Ichigo nodded. The soul seemed to have conceded, so Ichigo pressed the hilt of his zanpakuto gently to the boy's forehead, the glowing end leaving a mark on his head. As the glow began to intensify, Ichigo spoke up once more. "I'm Ichigo, by the way."

"My name is Tomoya," the boy smiled, fading into the glow. "Thanks for saving me, Ichigo."

And then he was gone. A Hell Butterfly fluttered away from where he had been moments before, disappearing into the sky to go to Soul Society. Rukia smiled from her position behind Ichigo as he stood and sheathed his weapon before turning to her.

"That's the last of them," he noted. His spiritual awareness had grown, allowing him to more easily detect the position of hollows and Pluses. "Let's head back home before Kon get me into trouble again." He glared at the thought of the perverse Gikongan running around town and causing trouble in his body. Rukia smirked a little at this as they moved off. She looked at him and smiled.

"I'm impressed at how maturely you did that," she said to him. Ichigo looked at her, confused.

"Did what?" he asked plainly.

"Performed that konso," Rukia amended. "You made that soul feel more comfortable with the way things were going to be and helped him understand why he had to go. It was very mature."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ichigo shrugged, turning away from Rukia and facing forwards as they walked. A gentle silence passed over them, then Ichigo spoke again. "When are we going to Soul Society?"

Rukia thought for a moment; it had been just over a week since Ichigo had regained his control over his hollow, and he seemed strong and stable enough to travel to Seireitei as the Head-Captain had ordered. She shrugged, putting the thought of her encounters with the hollow on that night aside quickly.

"We are still waiting to receive word from the Head-Captain," she replied. "I'm not really sure how much longer it will be, but I'm certain he will send news to us soon." Ichigo simply nodded.

"Alright then," he responded. They neared the Kurosaki Clinic, when they heard a light tinkling of bells. "What the hell was that?"

A small light shone in the air a few feet from them, closing behind the small insectoid figure of a Hell Butterfly appeared. Ichigo frowned at the insect as it flew closer, before it then landed on Rukia's outstretched finger. Suddenly, a voice filled both of their ears.

"This is a message for the Substitute Soul Reaper, Kurosaki Ichigo, and Squad Thirteen Fukutaicho, Kuchiki Rukia. At the request of Yamamoto-soutaicho, you are hereby summoned to Seireitei. Kuchiki-fukutaicho is ordered to bring Kurosaki Ichigo to the Squad One barracks immediately. That is all."

The butterfly tilted its wings slightly, as if enjoying the moments peace, before taking flight once more and disappearing from sight. Ichigo sighed.

"Man," he muttered. "That telepathy is a real mind-screw."

Rukia rolled her eyes and chuckled lightly.

"Come on, you big baby," she teased, drawing her zanpakuto and thrusting it into the air. The blade vanished into an invisible shroud. "Now, unlock!" The zanpakuto twisted ninety degrees in its wielder's hand and the Senkaimon slid open for them. Two Hell Butterflies came out to greet them, linking onto their reiatsu singnatures to guide them through the Dongai Precipice. "If we hurry, there's something I want to show you before you see Yamamoto-soutaicho." Ichigo smirked and scoffed.

"I don't know," he mocked as they entered the gateway, strolling at a leisurely pace. "Is it a good idea to keep Jii-san waiting?" Rukia's fist came swiftly into contact with Ichigo's head at this comment. "Ow! What the hell, Rukia?"

"Don't refer to the strongest Soul Reaper in Seireitei so callously, baka!" she barked, fuming. "Remember to be respectful while in Yamamoto-soutaicho's presence." Ichigo snorted a little and looked away from the short Lieutenant.

"You don't have to remind me," he replied, rubbing his sore head. "It's not like I'd ever call him that to his face."

Rukia sighed and looked at Ichigo in her peripheral vision. He seemed to be sulking that she had hit him for his loose language, but he appeared more mature despite this. In the week it had been since his hollow went berserk, Ichigo had been at the Urahara Shoten helping repair the shop which had been damaged in the conflict. His mature attitude towards the consequences of his actions also impressed Rukia, despite his childish manner of sulking as he was now when she berated or smote him. Pushing aside her Substitute's maturity before it turned into thoughts less than savoury for her liking, especially considering her current duty, Rukia nudged Ichigo gently and grinned as he turned to her.

"I bet you aren't as fast as me," she grinned, disappearing a a burst of Shunpo. Ichigo grinned, a determined look on his face.

"We'll see about that!" he yelled, taking off into a run and focussing his reiryoku into his legs and forcing himself forward faster. Finally, his Shunpo took hold and he flash-stepped up to Rukia with ease. "What was that about being faster?" Rukia smriked.

"That was nothing," she replied cockily, taking off again, but Ichigo was hot on her heels, catching up in no time.

Again she vanished in a burst of Shunpo, and Ichigo was growing bored of his game of cat-and-mouse. He took off after her, this time grabbing her Lieutenant's armband and untying it from her arm. As soon as it came free, despite Rukia's protests for him to return it to her, Ichigo vanished again, utilising his higher stockpile of reiryoku and higher speed to reach the end of the passage first. He grinned at first, then realised they had not come out of the main Senkaimon and stopped short.

"What the-" He was cut off by Rukia's foot in his back. The surprise attack knocked him onto his face, much to Rukia's amusement as she reclaimed her armband. Ichigo grinned up at her. "Told you I was faster." Rukia snorted a little, trying to hide a laugh, then composed herself.

"Whatever, strawberry," she grinned. Ichigo rolled his eyes, not even trying to argue the matter of his name with her.

"So," he said as he stood, dusting off his Shikakusho. "Where exactly are we?"

"The Thirteenth's barracks, of course," Rukia replied. She led the way down a fenced off stone path. "I said I had something to show you, so I just brought us to the Squad's Senkaimon to speed things up."

Ichigo nodded silently, following her. He looked out at the well-kept grass and short trees on either side of the path beyond the fences, noting how everything was clean and kept in pristine condition. Abruptly, a pair of Soul Reapers holding a staff each stopped them. The men were a bit taller than Rukia, bearing the standard uniform of a Soul Reaper each, and the staffs they wielded had a twin-pronged end to them, design to restrain but not fight.

"Sorry, miss," the first one said, a man with fairly dark skin and black hair. "This area is currently off-limits for today. Come back tomorrow when it is open to the public."

"I am Kuchiki Rukia, Squad Thirteen Fukutaicho," Rukia replied, her tone authoritative. "I have important business to attend to, so I suggest you step aside."

"Look here," the second guard responded agitatedly. He had lighter skin than his friend, but also a stubbly chin and blond hair. "We have orders not to let anyone in here today from our Lieutenant; she was very specific that-"

"Hey, is there a problem?" Ichigo asked, stepping forward. The guards looked up at the orange-haired Substitute and trembled a little.

"K- Kurosaki... Ichigo?" the first guard stuttered. Ichigo frowned at the response.

"I said, is there a problem?" he repeated.

"You see, sir," the second managed. "We have been ordered by the Squad Thirteen Fukutaicho not to allow anyone in to see the shrine today. Sorry to inconvenience you."

"Well, here's the thing," Ichigo smirked. "The person who gave you that order has just asked you to allow her and her friend into these grounds. Surely that overrules your previous orders, right?"

"Ye- yes, I suppose so," the first man nodded. "But, where is you armband, Kuchiki-fukutaicho?"

"This genius stole it in the Dongai," Rukia said sharply, gesturing to Ichigo. "I'll put it on shortly."

"Very well." The guards stepped aside. "Be on your way, Kuchiki-fukutaicho, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo stopped on the other side of the guards and turned back to them.

"Hey, do me a favour," he said casually. "Just call me Ichigo, okay?"

"As you wish, Ichigo-san," the guards nodded.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, knowing it was the best he would get out of them and heading off behind Rukia, who was wrestling with her armband once more, trying to tie the cloth binding around her petite arm but having trouble with it. After a few minutes of watching her struggle and listening to her muttered curses, Ichigo sighed and stopped her.

"Here," he said simply, moving her left hand to her side and lifting her right to hold the wooden badge in place on her arm. A blush passed over her features as Ichigo's hand brushed her own, but Rukia bit her tongue and said nothing. "Let me do it."

He gently took the two straps and tied them together, tight enough to hold it in place but not too tight as to cut off her circulation. He admired his handy work briefly, making sure the knot would not come undone by mistake. Rukia blushed again as he moved away from her, his hand again brushing hers. She looked away sharply and tried to cover her tracks.

"Baka," she murmured. "I didn't ask for your help."

"I know," he shrugged, hand meshed behind his head as they started walking again. "You never do."

Rukia smiled lightly at this, agreeing silently that he did a lot to help her without ever receiving a word of wanting help. That was just who Ichigo was in her head; selfless and looking out for his friends, ready to help whether they wanted it or not. Finally, they walked into a circular courtyard and Rukia stopped, gesturing to the centre of it. Ichigo looked and felt his jaw hit the ground at what he saw.

Stood upon a white stone pedestal, most likely Sekki Sekki, he presumed, was a bronze statue. The effigy stood at five foot nine, boosted by a further foot by the pedestal, and bore a spitting image of Ichigo's Bankai Shihakusho, wielding what was undeniably Tensa Zangetsu's blade in the right hand, propping the non-bladed edge of the weapon against the statues right shoulder. In the left hand, which lay at the statues side, was a hollow mask bearing two vertical markings over the whole mask. The statues head face slightly to the right, but from their position, Ichigo could easily see that the statue was of him. He stepped closer, noticing the plaque on the front of the pedestal, about halfway up it. He crouched down and began to read the inscription;

* * *

_'**Ichigo Kurosaki: Hero of the Winter War**_

_Dedicated to the memory of his sacrifice to save Karakura Town and Soul Society_

_Bestowed upon Squad Thirteen by Yamamoto-soutaicho and commissioned by Kuchiki Rukia of Squad Thirteen'_

* * *

Ichigo turned to Rukia, who had stepped closer to the statue and now stood within a foot behind Ichigo. He was still stunned by this, but managed to ask.

"When did this..." he faltered.

"When did we make this?" Rukia offered. Ichigo nodded. Rukia smiled lightly in the memory. "It was a few months after Aizen was defeated. Everyone had finally healed from the conflict with the Espada, and we had started rebuilding Seireitei. The damage done was great; in fact, we only finished the repairs six months ago." Ichigo was stunned; the battles had mostly not occurred in Seireitei, but obviously the damage extended much further than he had anticipated.

"The thing is that a few officials felt it was not right to honour an outsider who had caused great damages throughout Seireitei prior to the war," Rukia continued. "The Central Forty Six argued that we should forget about you." Ichigo's fists clenched tight, but still Rukia went on. "But Yamamoto-soutaicho was having none of it; he had the Central Forty Six disbanded under the overruling proclamation that at least six Captains and the Head-Captain himself disagreed with their decisions. After that, there was a mourning procession for the dead. At this procession, your memory was honoured, but Renji and I requested Yamamoto-soutaicho's backing to have this shrine built after that."

Ichigo observed Rukia closely with intrigue in his eye. He went to say something, but several people shimmered into sight. Eight people, all wearing the black uniforms and masks of the Stealth Force, had appeared around them.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rukia asked, looking around at the men. A ninth person shimmered into sight, this one wearing a red uniform and a strange backpack, and all nine people took to their knees. Rukia blinked, regarding the ninth person. "What is it?"

"I have a message for you, Kuchiki-fukutaicho," the messenger replied. Rukia blinked, having never received a messenger before. "You are nearby summoned to the Squad One barracks to attend a Captain and Lieutenants meeting. It is requested that you also bring the Substitute Soul Reaper, Kurosaki Ichigo, with you."

"Understood," Rukia nodded curtly. "You may go now." The messenger disappeared, but the Stealth Force stayed put. "What are you orders, Stealth Force?"

"We have been ordered to escort you both," the one nearest the path out of the courtyard replied. This man had a white sash hanging from his left shoulder to right hip, most likely to show his authority. The man looked up at Ichigo briefly, then bowed again. "My name is Takeda Akira, head of the Second Blade division of the Stealth Force. It is an honour to finally meet you, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo smiled a little at his impromptu fame, but shook his head.

"There's no need to be so formal with me, Akira-san," he replied. "Please, call me Ichigo."

"As you wish, Ichigo-san," Akira nodded. "If you would be so kind as to follow me, we will take you to Squad One now."

Ichigo nodded, following the man with Rukia at his side, wondering why everyone was so insistent on the honorific, even on his first name. The walk was far from awkward, as they patrolled through Seireitei, though Ichigo was becoming unnerved by the shocked stares he was receiving; it was nothing new for him to be stared at, mostly because of his hair, but this was a completely different thing due to his infamy in the city of souls. When they neared the barracks, the Second Blade troops bowed to the pair of them and left in a well-synchronised Shunpo, as was to be expected of the Stealth Force. Ichigo breathed in deeply and calmed himself slightly. He turned to Rukia and smiled softly.

"How do I look?" he asked.

Rukia smirked a little and began to look him over. His Shihakusho was well kept and looked pristine, satisfying Rukia. The newly-acquired bindings on his arms and hands also seemed fine, as did the red cloth holding his sealed zanpakuto in place, and the scabbard holding the zanpakuto also looked fine for the occasion. Rukia's gaze travelled further up Ichigo and noticed that his collar was ruffled, most likely from their little race in the Dongai or when she had kicked him to the ground. She giggled and reached up, not quite able to reach. As if noticing her actions and issue, Ichigo wordlessly came down to one knee, allowing Rukia to fix his collar. His eyes gazed at her face as she worked, bringing a blush to his face. He looked away quickly as she finished.

"There," she smiled at her handiwork as Ichigo stood up. "Now you only look half as bad as usual."

"You're hilarious," Ichigo smirked, rolling his eyes. They turned to the doors of the barracks and Ichigo rapped his knuckles on the large, heavy wooden panels three times. Silence echoed over, and Ichigo became nervous. "You think we got the wrong room?" he asked jokingly just before the doors swung inwards.

Gathered there were the eleven Captains and twelve Lieutenants in the Gotei Thirteen. Rukia hurriedly took her position beside Captain Ukitake, while Ichigo took a few steps into the room until he was level with the Thirteenth and Twelfth Squad Captains, then took a knee and bowed low.

"Welcome, Kurosaki Ichigo," Yamamoto's gruff voice said from the opposite side of the room. "I have summoned you today to personally thank you for your courageous actions in the war against Aizen Sosuke and the Espada. Because of your great sacrifice, Soul Society and the World of the Living are once again safe. Thank you, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Thank you for your kind words, soutaicho-dono," Ichigo said, bowing lower and keeping his tone respectful. "But I do not deserve such kind words for actions which were second nature to me, and which anyone could have done in my position." Yamamoto observed Ichigo closely, then nodded.

"I see you are more courteous than the stories say," the elderly Captain mentioned. "Now, get on your feet, Kurosaki Ichigo, and step forward." Ichigo raised himself and stepped forward until he was at the centre of the Captains and Lieutenants. "As you may or may not be aware, we are currently missing two Captains, those of the Fifth and Ninth Squads. It was decided, in the event of your powers returning, that it would be decided whether you will make a suitable replacement Captain." Ichigo's eyes widened, but he said nothing, staying in check. "According to customs, a Captain may only be selected in one of three manners," Yamamoto explained. "The first is the successful completion of the Captain Proficiency Test under the observation of three Captains including myself, which is the most customary method. This, however, requires Bankai, making this method limited for selecting new Captains." Ichigo nodded, understanding the lack of Soul Reapers possessing Bankai being a problem.

"The second method," Yamamoto went on. "is considered to be more barbaric, but has been previously used in a few circumstances." Ichigo thought he heard Kenpachi scoff somewhere behind him, but made no effort to turn to him. "It involves a fight to the death with a current Captain in the presence of at least two hundred Squad members. This, however, is no good for finding additional Captains. The final method, and the one which we shall be using today, is the selection by personal recommendation. This entails having the personal backing of at least six current Captains, and the approval of at least three of the remaining five." Ichigo gulped slightly; if three Captains declined his backing, he would not be allowed to become a Captain. "Let us start the proceedings. Who here will vouch for Kurosaki Ichigo to become a Captain?" A brief silence, then someone stepped forward behind Ichigo.

"I will, sir," said a calm voice. Ichigo turned to see Ukitake stood out of rank and facing the Head-Captain. "Ichigo-kun has demonstrated his abilities on numerous occasions, and his power is undoubtedly that of a Captain." He stepped back into rank with this said, only for another to step forward..

"I agree with Jushiro," came Kyoraku's laid-back voice. "Ichigo-kun is definitely a capable person, and I have no doubt he will do the Gotei 13 proud." Yamamoto nodded simply and Kyoraku stepped back, tipping his straw hat to Ichigo as he did. Toshiro stepped forward next.

"Despite his disregard for formalities, Kurosaki has always displayed the traits of a Captain," the prodigy noted. "He will be a valuable asset to the Gotei Thirteen." Captain Komamura stepped forward as Toshiro stepped back into line.

"Kurosaki Ichigo has never given up on what matters," he said openly. "His resolve in the Winter War only proves that he is ready to step up as a Captain."

_That's four vouching for me,_ Ichigo noted as Komamura stepped back. _Ukitake-san and Kyoraku-san were almost a given, but I wasn't expecting support from Toshiro and Komamura-san._

"I will also vouch for the boy," Byakuya said, stepping forward. "His resolve and sense of justice have never faltered, as a Captain should be. He lacks certain aspects of Captaincy, but he is a quick learner and will no doubt pick up these aspects."

Ichigo was stunned to have such words come from the stoic noble, but he kept her mouth shut from fear of blurting out something unsavoury.

"Having fought with Ichigo," Renji said, stepping forward. "I can tell that if I can become a Captain, so can he." He turned to Ichigo and grinned. "Don't let me down, kid." With that he stepped back in line while Ichigo bit back a sharp-response to the mocking.

"Very well," Yamamoto nodded. "Of those Captains remaining, which of you believe Kurosaki Ichigo to be worthy of this position? Kurotsuchi-taicho."

"You must be joking," the deranged Captain replied snidely. "As good a test subject as he may be, this baboon is not right for Captaincy. He does not receive my approval."

_Dammit,_ Ichigo thought. _If two more Captains doubt me, there is no way I can become a Captain like this._

"I understand," Yamamoto accepted, moving down the Squads to find one which had not vouched for him. "Zaracki-taicho."

"Eh, what can I say?" the Captain shrugged. "He's one of the few people who can beat me in a fight; he has my respect for that. I approve."

"Unohana-taicho."

"I also must commend Kurosaki-san," Unohana replied. "Though I am not sure if he is ready, I think he can become a great Captain. He has my approval as well."

_That's it,_ Ichigo thought. _I just need one more vote. There are two Captains left; so long as the next one says yes, I'm in the clear._ His eyes drifted to the next Captain, who had been glaring at him since he arrived, and he felt his heart sink. _Yeah, I'm screwed._

"Soifon-taicho."

"I respectfully decline," the head of the Stealth Force replied. "This child has flippantly ignored tradition and is not even from Soul Society; I cannot accept such an unworthy person as a Captain, no matter the situation."

"Very well, then." Yamamoto stood from his seat. "Kurosaki Ichigo, in light of these claims, I have decided what to do about your claim..."

Ichigo tensed and waited for the denial to come ringing through his ears, readying himself to leave the barracks in disgrace...

* * *

_Oh, cliffhanger-ed!_

_Is that even a term? I don't know, but I went there._

_Anyway, sorry for the long-winded first chapter. I hope it was good and sets this story up as a worthy follow-up to Darkest Side of Me (may have set the bar too damned high ^_^' )_

_For now, let me know what you thought, I'll come back to this when I get a moments, but as I said (somewhere), I have to juggle this with other stories and my real life too._

_So, review and I'll see you next time._

_Bye :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Brief: **With his Soul Reaper powers restored, and his hollow finally subdued once and for all, Ichigo Kurosaki thinks his life can finally go back to normal. However, a visit to Seireitei soon changes that theory for the young Substitute. Can Ichigo adjust to his new life, or will he give in and return to how it was before?_

_**Warnings: **Contains some aggressive language, possible violence and romance throughout. Reader discretion is advised if any of the above offend you._

_**Pairings: **IchiRuki, may contain smaller pairings such as ByaHis or HitsuHina_

_**SPOILERS from the Fullbring Arc and previous**_

_**Disclaimer: **Bleach is the property of Tite Kubo, not me. If I owned Bleach, Ichigo would already be with Rukia ;)_

* * *

**Bleach: Bonds Beyond Dimensions**

**Chapter 2: Welcome to the Family**

"_Very well, then." Yamamoto stood from his seat. "Kurosaki Ichigo, in light of these claims, I have decided what to do about your claim..."_

Ichigo kept composed, but a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as he waited apprehensively.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Yamamoto's voice ground out. "By the power granted to me as Soutaicho of Gotei 13, I hereby strip you of the rank of Substitute Soul Reaper," Ichigo barely kept himself in check at this. _Great, _he thought. _Not only am I refused the rank of Captain, but they're going to take my powers away _again_? How cruel and unusual..._ "And grant you the rank of Captain of Squad Five." Ichigo blinked, shocked of the Head-Captain's decision. "Step forward and receive the Haori of the Fifth."

Ichigo stepped forward, but hesitated a couple of steps ahead of the old man's seat, causing some muffled words of shock and wonder in the room.

"I mean no disrespect, Soutaicho-dono," Ichigo started, knowing to keep his tone and wording formal to aid his claim. "But there is an issue not covered purely by my promotion to Captain." Yamamoto made a noise of acknowledgement, prompting Ichigo to go on. "As you well know, my position as Substitute Soul Reaper was twofold; to protect the spiritually enriched zone of Karakura Town, and to maintain my life in the World of the Living. Due to the nature of a Captain's job, neither of these are possible once I take this position. As such, there is the issue of my life in Karakura Town."

"Hm," Yamamoto agreed, nodding. "I can understand your situation, and though it has not occurred before for this reason, I am still willing to offer you the promotion. Should you accept, we will deal with this issue." Ichigo bowed a little, stepping forward the last few steps.

"In that case," Ichigo replied. "I would be honoured to accept this position, Soutaicho-dono." Yamamoto handed the Haori to Ichigo, a bundle of white cloth folded carefully into a neat square. As he took it, Ichigo noticed that the insignia of Squad Five was printed in black on the back, and that the coat held a cyan inner lining. He gently unfolded the Haori and donned it as the elder Captain spoke once more.

"That coat is a sign of your rank, and a source of great pride," Yamamoto explained. "Wear it as such." Ichigo straightened the Haori out as Yamamoto continued. "Now, since you are not familiar with the layout of Seireitei, and also the barracks of each Division, I ask that you report to the new recruits office beneath the Squad One barracks to receive vital information you might need. They will be waiting for you to arrive.

"Furthermore," he continued. "I am aware that, although you are capable of using a Kido-styled move from your zanpakuto, the Getsuaga Tenshou, you have had no training with reiatsu suppression or any form of Kido." Ichigo felt Rukia's reiatsu tingle somewhere behind him at this, a slight shift in her reiatsu telling him that she felt at fault for this. "This is not to be unexpected, considering your human upbringing with your powers, but must be addressed. I will be assigning you a three hour session for this training twice a week, with Kuchiki-fukutaicho and Hinamori-fukutaicho as your instructors due to their Kido expertise. Are there any objections to this?" No one said a word. "Good. Now then, we shall continue with the Captain and Lieutenants meeting. Kurosaki-taicho, take your place beside Hinamori-fukutaicho."

Ichigo bowed once more, then walked to his position. He noticed Rukia at the end of the line, a small, almost unnoticeable smile on her face, just as he stood beside his dark haired Lieutenant. He noted that she had a somewhat dark look in her brown eyes while regarding him, but ignored this.

"Now then," Yamamoto spoke clearly, sitting down once more. "As you are well aware, Kurosaki-taicho's promotion to Squad Five Captain means that there is only one squad left without a Captain." His eyes fell upon Hisagi Shuuhei, who was stood alone in the ranks. "I have already arranged a suitable replacement for Tosen Kaname, however this replacement will not be able to take the position for several months, due to an extended mission in Hueco Mundo. Hisagi-fukutaicho, are you able to maintain the duties of both Captain and Lieutenant of Squad Nine?"

"I am, Soutaicho-dono," Hisagi replied, bowing his head. "I have been able to catch up the paperwork from the war in the two years, and I feel it will be no difficulty to keep up this position."

"Excellent," Yamamoto nodded. "That is the sort of aptitude we need in the Gotei 13. Moving on, we have still heard nothing from the Vizards since their abandonment several months ago, but we are still watching out for them. It is believed that they have fled the World of the Living in favour of Hueco Mundo, making it much harder to locate them."

"If I may, Soutaicho-dono," Rukia's voice sounded in the large room. "I do not believe that is accurate."

"Do not talk so disrespectfully to Yamamoto-soutaicho, Kuchiki-fukutaicho," Soifon growled. "On what grounds do you make this claim?"

"The grounds, Soifon-taicho," Rukia replied levelly. "that I ran into them while in the World of the Living." A few people started muttering and Soifon looked as though she was about to snap at Rukia again, but Ichigo beat her to the punch.

"She is telling the truth," he announced, silencing everyone with a slight flare of his reiatsu. "The Vizards approached me while my hollow side was going out of control; the excessive amount of hollowfied reiatsu in the downtown Karakura area, and the extensive damage done to the area is a bi-product of an attempt to subdue my hollow which they tried and failed. I do not know what happened after that."

"Also," Byakuya added in his usual stoic tone. "I encountered one of the Vizards when trying to use Urahara Kisuke's device for subduing Vasto Lordes, a man who identified himself as Ushoda Hachigen. I am not aware of where he went after that night however, nor do I know where the Vizards currently are."

"Very well," Yamamoto nodded having heard the claims of all three. "In that case, it may be safe to assume that they are still residing in the neighbouring vicinity of Karakura Town. Squad 7 is currently on rotation for duty in that region. Have your men stationed there know that if they find the Vizards, they are to report to you at once, Komamura-taicho." The fox-man nodded respectfully but said nothing. Yamamoto turned back to Ichigo. "Kurosaki-taicho, were you approached by any other people during the two years you have been without your abilities?"

"Actually," Ichigo said, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Now you mention it, there was that one person... He appeared just before I lost control of my hollow, and just after I regained Zangetsu's physical form. He claimed to be a Knight of Hueco Mundo." Ukitake looked to Kyoraku.

"Does that mean the Court of Ickross approached Ichigo-kun?" the white-haired man wondered.

"Seems that way," his flamboyant friend replied. "I can't see why though."

"Enough," Yamamoto ordered sharply. "This is a worrying turn of events, but we cannot address it yet. For now, we shall have to make do as we are. Kurosaki-taicho, remember what I told you at the beginning." The elderly, one-armed Captain stood and slammed his staff into the ground. "This meeting is adjourned!"

The Captains began to disperse, their Lieutenants in tow, each leaving the large building except for those of Squads Three, Eight and Thirteen, who walked up to Ichigo. Renji, who had been stood a few feet away from the newest Captain, roughly patted Ichigo on the back.

"Well done," he grinned to Ichigo. "Looks like you're finally a fully-fledged Soul Reaper like the rest of us!"

"Yeah, thanks, Renji," Ichigo smiled back as Kyoraku and Ukitake approached, a smile on the elder Captains' faces.

"Congratulations, Ichigo-kun," Ukitake said. "I think you are the youngest Captain to date, since officially you have not passed on from the World of the Living."

"That's right," Kyoraku nodded. "Speaking of which, how are you going to balance this position with your life in the World of the Living?" Ichigo frowned.

"I'm not sure really," Ichigo shrugged. "I assume that Yamamoto-soutaicho has something in mind, but I can't see myself being able to do both."

"Perhaps Yama-jii is planning to-" Kyoraku started, but Ukitake shushed his friend quickly.

"Shunsui, we shouldn't jump to such a conclusion." The white-haired Captain turned to Momo and smiled. "This is a good development for you, isn't it, Hinamori-fukutaicho?"

"Yes," Momo replied with a smile and a nod. "The squad should take well to Kurosaki-taicho, especially after what Aizen has done for us."

"Yes, that certainly was a difficult time for Squad Five, wasn't it." Kyoraku said, his tone matter-of-factly as opposed to questioning. The man smiled at Ichigo once more. "You must come over to the Squad Eight barracks some time and join us for a drink, Ichigo-kun. I have always had a feeling you can really hold your liquor." Ukitake laughed at this.

"Don't feel pressured into it, Ichigo-kun," he smiled lightly. "When you are settled in, the invitation will be there for you."

"Thank you, Ukitake-san, Kyoraku-san," Ichigo bowed to them. Ukitake smiled and brushed this off.

"Please, Ichigo-kun," he replied. "We are all friends here; call me Jushiro."

"Sorry," Ichigo replied meekly. Kyoraku smirked at this.

"Don't worry about it, Ichigo-kun," he spoke up. "Anyway, I must be on my way now. Take it easy, Ichigo-kun." He waved and left, his Lieutenant following close behind. Ukitake smiled.

"I also must be going," he said. "I left Sentaro and Kiyone in charge of the barracks in my absence, and I fear it may already be in disarray." Rukia seemed to giggle about this, making herself known for the first time since she came over. Ukitake turned to her. "I will go ahead, Rukia; I know you most likely wish to discuss times for Ichigo-kun's training with Hinamori-fukutaicho." Rukia nodded.

"Thank you, Captain," she replied. "I will not be long."

Ukitake nodded and waved goodbye to the others. Renji lead Kira towards the door too.

"Guess I'd better check on Squad Three," he said, waving lazily to the others. "We should have a sparring match some time, Ichigo." Ichigo grinned.

"You're on, Renji." The red haired Captain chuckled then disappeared in a flash of Shunpo, leaving Rukia, Momo and Ichigo in the room. Ichigo started leading them out as he spoke up again. "So, when should we do this training?"

"Well," Rukia replied. "I'm free while the squad is doing joint training with Squad Eight on Thursdays and Saturdays, and also there's the free time on Sunday afternoons when everyone clocks off early." Momo nodded at this last bit.

"That might be the best time for a session," she replied. "Seeing as how the squad would need to have a Captain or Lieutenant at the barracks. As for the second session, Renji has been taking the squad for joint training on Thursdays at the same time as that of Squad Eight and Thirteen. That means that Squad Five's training area is free at those times." Ichigo grimaced.

"I'm not sure about using the squad's training area for practising my Kido techniques," he replied. "If I turn out like Renji, I might cause damage to it." Rukia agreed silently, knowing the destructive power of Ichigo's hollow when it used Cero; if that was anything to go by, even a lower level Kido like Shakkahou could cause untold levels of damage. "I know a place we can use; there's a cave on the outskirts of Seireitei where I trained my Bankai the first time; that would be more suitable as a training ground."

"Alright," Rukia nodded. "Then we'll meet at the Squad Five barracks when joint training starts on Thursday and you can take us there." Ichigo nodded in agreement. They had stopped a moment before, standing just in front of the new recruits office. "I need to head back to the barracks. Congratulations on your promotion, _Captain_ Strawberry." Before Ichigo could snap at her, she had disappeared from sight. He fumed silently, grinding his teeth.

"Damn midget," he growled. He sighed, then turned to Momo, who seemed almost shocked at Rukia's interactions with him. "You can wait here, if you like," he offered. "I'll only be a minute in there." Momo shook her head.

"It's fine, Kurosaki-taicho," she replied. "I don't mind." Ichigo smiled and patted her shoulder.

"Hey, do me a favour, Momo, was it?" The girl nodded, realising this was the first time they had properly met. "Ok, do me a favour, Momo, and don't call me Kurosaki-taicho. Please, just call me Ichigo; there's no need for such formalities." Momo blinked then shook her head.

"I could never be so disrespectful to a Captain as to be on a first-name basis," she protested. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Suit yourself," he sighed. "I just don't see the point of the formalities."

Momo did not respond as they walked into the office. The woman at the desk looked up and smiled at Ichigo. She had mousy-brown hair and large grey eyes behind a pair of silver wire-frame, half-moon spectacles.

"Good morning, Captain," she said in a soft, sweet tone. "How may I help you?"

"Hi," Ichigo replied. "Uh, Yamamoto-soutaicho told me to come here after the Captains meeting."

"Oh, you must be Kurosaki-taicho!" the woman's smile widened as she made the realisation. She stood and extended a hand to Ichigo, who shook it firmly. "I am Saito Michiko, the Head Clerk and Co-ordinator here in the New Recruits and Arrivals Office." She reached beneath her desk and pulled out a few sheet of paper and a pen. "If you can just sign these forms and give a reiatsu impression on the green boxes, we can make your promotion finalised." Ichigo nodded and began reading the forms. "Take your time, I'll be back in just a moment." She bowed slightly then walked out of a doorway into the back of the building. Momo smiled a little.

"I think she likes you," she mentioned to Ichigo. He turned to his Lieutenant and frowned a little.

"Who? Michiko-san?" Momo nodded and Ichigo scoffed. "Yeah right, she's just being polite." Momo shrugged at this response as Michiko returned, several things in her arms. She placed them down on the desk and smiled again.

"Here are a few extra Soul Reaper Shihakushos for you, since you have not used your spiritual body for extensive periods of time," Michiko explained. "We have a dry-cleaning facility in the market district within Seireitei, which is also where you can find more casual clothing. We may not have quite as modern clothes as the World of the Living, but we are bringing in some of the new fashions for when there is free time or formal occasions. On the subject of your uniform, you may modify your Shihakusho in any way you please, so long as the colour remains predominately black and the underclothing remains white. You may also remove the sleeves of your Haori, but the emblem on the back must remain unaltered, as must the colours of it.

"Also, now that you are a ranked Soul Reaper in Seireitei, you will receive a monthly pay for your services," Michiko went on. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the amount in front of another Soul Reaper, but it is enclosed within this pack on page 7." She produced a booklet labelled 'Captaincy Manual' and placed it on top of the clothing. "Finally, there is the matter of your previous life; since you have decided to become a Captain, you effectively chose to end your current life in the World of the Living. As such, you have been requested by Yamamoto-soutaicho to terminate your body, so to speak. A recommended plan is enclosed on a separate paper within the manual. You will need to inform Urahara Kisuke, and also will have a day to say goodbye to your friends and family there, after which you must report back to Seireitei for official duty." Michiko had a sympathetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry this is how it has to be."

"No, it's fine," Ichigo replied, still a little shocked. "I kind of knew this was going to happen sooner or later."

"Very well," Michiko bowed. "Come back if you need any more Shihakushos or if you need to replace your Haori. The Senkaimon is scheduled to open tomorrow morning at nine sharp. Be ready to return to the World of the Living with Lieutenant Kuchiki there by eight fifty-five. Goodbye, Kurosaki-taicho."

"Thanks, Michiko-san," Ichigo bowed back. "See you around." As they left, Ichigo smiled down to Momo. "You see, I told you she was-" He trailed off as he flicked through the manual. A piece of paper was loose within it, on which, the Lieutenant noticed as Ichigo attempted to throw it away, was a number and address written on it. "Ok, maybe you were right."

Momo giggled at this, but said nothing. They continued to walk through the streets until they reached an empty room in a complex within the Fifth Squad grounds. Ichigo looked around.

The room was quite large and very plainly furnished, with a simple, low-laying desk and a bed-mat. There was a couple of windows, providing light during the day, and what appeared to be a lantern of sorts, though the young man wagered it ran on Kido and not gas, for the night. Other than these, the walls and floor was completely plain and unremarkable. Momo shifted uncomfortably as she walked in after Ichigo.

"This is the Captain's quarters for Squad Five," she explained. "It hasn't been occupied since Aizen's betrayal." Ichigo nodded. He came to realise the reason for her unease in the room; she had not been in there since the betrayal. "It's not much, but you can use your income to make any changes you want. I am two doors down if you need me at any time."

"Thank you, Momo," Ichigo replied. "I'm glad to have such a capable Lieutenant in the Squad." Momo smiled, blushing slightly, and bowed to Ichigo.

"Thank you, Kurosaki-taicho," she replied. A slight pause resided, then, "Um, could I ask you a question?" Ichigo cocked an eyebrow but nodded. "Is it true that... That you became one with your zanpakuto to defeat Aizen?" Ichigo was confused by the question, but nodded again. "Did you ever consider using that power for something else?" The worry was back in her eyes, and Ichigo could tell that she was worried that Ichigo would turn out to be another Aizen. He stepped forward and crouched down a couple of feet before her.

"Honestly, I did consider that there may have been a better use for that power," Ichigo confessed. "However, I could not ignore Aizen's sheer power, and I knew there was no way I could use Saiga no Getsuga Tenshou for any other purpose." Momo nodded, looking almost ashamed for questioning her Captain. "I can understand your worries, Momo, but there is no need for them; as long as I am Captain of this Squad, I will not let anyone repeat Aizen's crimes. You have my promise as your Captain and friend." Momo blinked.

"You consider me your friend?" she asked, amazed that the man had came to this conclusion after such a short time of knowing her. Ichigo grinned.

"Of course," he replied. "Just because we have only just met, we don't have to be strangers." He set his belongings down on the desk and took out the manual. He flicked through it briefly before setting it aside once more. "Well, should I introduce myself to the squad now, or after I've dealt with my body in the World of the Living?" Even saying it like this, which evaded the exact phrasing, it felt strange for Ichigo to hear himself implying he was about to commit suicide effectively. Momo nodded.

"Now would be fine," she smiled. "I'm sure they will be happy to meet you, Kurosaki-taicho. I'll get you once they are assembled."

Ichigo nodded and went about reading the booklet on his desk. In the time it took to assemble the squad, he had read most of the main points and learnt just how high a Captain's pay was (which explained how Kyoraku could maintain such a large stock of sake considering how much he drank). On the way to the main hall, he began to feel a little nervous, wondering how he should introduce himself, and how the squad would react to his arrival as their Captain. Before he could reach a conclusive decision on either of these, however, they were stood outside the double doors of the squad hall. Momo turned to Ichigo and smiled softly.

"When you're ready, Kurosaki-taicho," she said, "we can introduce you the squad." Ichigo nodded, took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

The first thing which struck him was the stunned silence of the large group gathered in the large building. As soon as he had entered, the quiet whispers and muffled questions instantly dissipated into the air, and all eyes, every one of the several hundred pairs in the room, fell on him. He was used to attention due to his rather vibrant hair colour, but this was a new thing altogether due to the very fact that it was stares of awe and not ones of disgust or shock, and it was starting to make Ichigo nervous. He cleared his throat, trying to claw back his remaining dignity and prowess and using it to fuel his speech.

"Um, hello, everyone," he managed to say coherently. The staring continued, as did the silence, and Ichigo mentally slapped himself. _'Hello, everyone'?_ he thought. _Great first impression... if you want to look like an idiot. _He scratched the back of his head. _You can stand up to the ultimate nut-job which transcends the boundaries of hollow and Soul Reaper, fend off the most fear-evoking Espada in a second stage of release, and beat back your own hollow when it's intent on taking over your body, but standing in front of a crowd of people who are now your subordinates is too much for you? Get a grip, baka!_

"Uh, thank you all for coming so quickly," he went on from his cringe-worthy start. "As you are most likely aware, I have been promoted to your Captain, so I thought we should get to know each other. My name is-"

"Kurosaki Ichigo!" someone said in the ranks, causing a slight disturbance in the crowd.

Ichigo faltered as he spotted the person, which was not difficult due to their flustered reiatsu reading. His eyes fell on him, third row near the middle, and quickly noticed that he was a fairly low-level Soul Reaper. He had messy brown hair and awestruck golden irises stood out of the crowd, looking up at Ichigo with amazement. He decided to do the courteous thing in his eyes, so stepped down from the raised section where he had been standing, walking up to the Soul Reaper, who instantly fell to ground in a low bow.

"Forgive me, sir!" he pleaded from the floor. "I- I didn't mean to interrupt! I just-"

"Don't worry about it," Ichigo smiled, crouching down and resting a hand on the man's shoulder; he looked to be twenty one in age, though, Ichigo noted with a slight sigh, Rukia was over a hundred and fifty, yet she still passed for a sixteen year old. "What is your name?"

"M- my name?" the man asked, looking up, before it clicked. "Ah, sorry, sir! My name is Kendae Omi, unseated squad member!"

"Alright," Ichigo nodded, standing again and lifting him to his feet. "Pleasure to meet you, Kendae-san."

"Th- Thank you, sir!" Omi replied quickly, and perhaps a bit too loudly. "Your work in the Winter War is what inspired me to become a Soul Reaper, Kurosaki-taicho!" Ichigo chuckled a little at this.

"Is that right?" he responded, trying to take this in his stride. "Well, I'm flattered to be the cause of this for you." He walked back onto the stage, noticing Momo's slight smile; she was clearly impressed by his change in attitude. "Yes, as Kendae-san has already told you, I am the same Kurosaki Ichigo from the Winter War two years ago. Going by Kendae-san's reaction, some of you may know of me from this war, but don't listen to the stories, 'cause I'm sure they aren't true." A quick scan showed several sceptical looks being exchanged, much to his dismay. "Anyway," Ichigo continued, "thank you all for coming here, and I hope we get on in the foreseeable future. Dismissed."

The ranks looked a little confused but moved on anyway, exchanging some words of confusion with one another. Ichigo left the room quickly, stopping just outside to read the piece of paper he had stowed in his pocket. He had been about to read it when Momo had come for him. Unfolding it, his face paled a little and his eyes widened as he let the words sink in, rereading a couple of times to reaffirm them.

"You've got to be kidding me," he growled, folding the paper back up and placing it in his pocket once more.

* * *

_Sweet mother of hell, I've pulled a late night a few times to do this, but it's worth it._

_Hopefully everyone enjoys this and thinks the series is going swimmingly._

_Now, please read and review; it makes it better for me to know what you guys and girls think._

_Ah, my eyes hurt. I'm going to bed before Rertyan crops up (reference to 'Black Hollow' and 'Bleach: After the Winter War' works; please don't eat me)._

_Night everybody._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Brief: **With his Soul Reaper powers restored, and his hollow finally subdued once and for all, Ichigo Kurosaki thinks his life can finally go back to normal. However, a visit to Seireitei soon changes that theory for the young Substitute. Can Ichigo adjust to his new life, or will he give in and return to how it was before?_

_**Warnings: **Contains some aggressive language, possible violence and romance throughout. Reader discretion is advised if any of the above offend you._

_**Pairings: **IchiRuki, may contain smaller pairings such as ByaHis or HitsuHina_

_**SPOILERS from the Fullbring Arc and previous**_

_**Disclaimer: **Bleach is the property of Tite Kubo, not me. If I owned Bleach, Ichigo would already be with Rukia ;)_

* * *

**Bleach: Bonds Beyond Dimensions**

**Chapter 3: Saying Goodbye**

To say that Ichigo was nervous and apprehensive about what was about to be done would have been the biggest understatement of Seireitei since Aizen had been rated the Soul Reaper _least_ likely to betray the Seireitei. The orange-haired Captain was pacing around the main Senkeimon entrance, as he had done for the last half an hour, waiting for Rukia to arrive and for the gateway to open. He sighed again, wondering where the Lieutenant was. Just before five to nine, Rukia appeared in a flurry of Shunpo, catching Ichigo's attention and falling under his glare.

"Where the hell were you?" he snapped. Rukia frowned back; she had never seen Ichigo like this.

"Its not even nine," she replied. "I know you're worried about this, Ichigo, but there's no need to be this uptight." Ichigo snorted.

"That's rich, considering who your brother is," he scoffed, folding his arms and looking away. Shortly after, he felt something slam into his shin hard. "Ow! What the hell, Rukia?!"

"Don't talk so loosely about Nii-sama, bakamono!" she snapped back. "In case you have forgotten, Nii-sama supported your appeal to become a Captain!" Ichigo was about to retort, but held his tongue; she made a good point. He exhaled sharply and stood still, waiting for the gates once more. Silence fell briefly, before Rukia looked over to him once more. "Nervous?"

Ichigo looked down, gazing into her eyes. Rukia looked genuinely concerned for him, or possibly for his family; it was hard to tell. The underlying emotions in her amethyst orbs told the man that she was worried and nervous herself; she had practically been taken in by the Kurosaki family, after all, and it would no doubt be difficult for her to say goodbye to them as well.

"Yeah," he replied with a soft smile. "But it's alright; I'm sure we can do it." Rukia smiled back.

"I know we can," she agreed. "There's nothing we can't do together." They smiled at one another for a moment before the mighty doors creaked open, bathing the area in vibrant white light as two darkly-coloured butterflies emerged, floating beside the shoulders of both Soul Reapers. "Come on, let's go, Ichigo." She dashed forwards, the butterfly behind her. Ichigo watched her disappear into the light.

"Yeah," he said solemnly. "Let's go." And then he followed Rukia's lead, the light consuming his figure as quickly as it had Rukia's.

* * *

The early-morning air struck Ichigo as he passed through the doors at the end of the Dongai, stepping out into the misty, dimly lit town once again. The air was damp from the night before, and the sun was lazily lapping at the horizon as it began its ascent into the sky. The newly-promoted Captain looked around, but found no one on the river-side path where Rukia and he stood. He breathed in deeply, taking in the sweet air one more time, before turning to Rukia. Wordlessly, she nodded and followed his suit as he used his Shunpo to head for the Kurosaki Clinic as quickly as possible; he had many people he wanted to see before he could go back. Once he was there, he reunited himself with his body, Ichigo hurriedly got dressed and quietly crept out of the house, making sure not to wake Isshin, Yuzu or Karin as he did so. Rukia was stood outside in the road, still in her spirit body.

"Ok," Ichigo said in a low voice, making sure he was not heard by his family. "Now let's get your Gigai from Urahara." Rukia nodded and walked beside Ichigo. The teenager walked calmly with his hands in his pockets, noticing Rukia's quizzical glances every so often. With a sigh, he turned his head to the Lieutenant. "What's wrong, Rukia?" She jumped a little at his question, but remained as composed as ever.

"I'm just trying to work out what Kisuke has in mind for..." She faltered, unsure how to phrase the point delicately. "For tonight."

"Oh, that's right," Ichigo nodded. "You never did see the plan Jii-san gave me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper which had been folded and scruffily kept. "Here."

He handed the folded panel of white to Rukia and allowed her to read the plan the old shop-keeper had in mind, and watched with a solemn look as her expression shifted to one of shock and bemusement. Finally, after rereading it for the third time, she handed the paper back to Ichigo.

"You can really tell it was Kisuke's idea," she said grimly. "I'm sorry it has to be like that, Ichigo."

"Yeah," he replied. "I'm not particularly thrilled about it myself. But I swear, if Urahara tries to make light of this situation, I'm going to knock that stupid hat off his head." Rukia understood the reference, having been told of Ichigo's training on one of their days doing nothing much; and she took a sense of pleasure in what Ichigo himself had planned.

They reached the small shop in good time, and were greeted by two young teenagers, whom were cleaning up out in front of the building. Since what had become known as 'Ichigo's incident' between the shop-keeper and his work colleagues, the Urahara Shoten had become a more modernised shop in looks, though it was still unnoticed in the alley of the district, and it still used the cover of being a sweet shop, a cover the young Captain had never understood. The two young humans looked up from their work and nodded to Ichigo and Rukia as they walked over to the shop front. The large, bespectacled form of Tessai unlocking the door filled the window there before stepping aside, allowing them through.

Urahara sat on the usual place in the shop, hat low over his eyes and a cup of steaming tea in his hand. Unlike his usual self, however, the blonde man was wearing a pair of green slippers and pyjamas under the black robe-like overcoat he wore. His cane also sat at his side, though it seemed to be being ignored by its owner.

"Hm?" Urahara murmured as Ichigo and Rukia walked inside. "Oh, it's you two. I wondered when you would be here." He groaned as he stood, drawing Ichigo's attention to the dark rings beneath his eyes. "When Yamamoto-soutaicho told me you would be here about seven," he explained, "but he never told me whether it was seven here or there; that two hours difference changes everything, after all."

"Sorry, Kisuke," Ichigo replied, but the older man waved it off.

"Don't worry; it happens," he shrugged. He turned to Rukia and smiled softly. "Your Gigai is waiting in the back room, Kuchiki-san. I made the alterations you requested last week while you were in Soul Society; speak to Tessai if there are any other malfunctions or problems you can detect." Rukia nodded and left the room, heading into the back to test the Gigai before she headed out with Ichigo. "I'm sorry for what is to happen tonight, Kurosaki-taicho." Ichigo gazed into Urahara's eyes, but saw that he was not about to make light of the situation at all; contrary to his usual actions, Urahara was being completely sincere.

"Thanks, Kisuke," Ichigo replied with a nod. "Can I ask why you decided to make this the plan?" He held up the folded paper from his pocket as he spoke. Urahara visibly grimaced.

"I did not take pleasure in arranging such a plan, Kurosaki-taicho," Urahara replied. "Despite what you may think of me, I have come to think of you as a friend, not just a colleague. Even so, I had to ensure it was comprehensive enough to withstand scrutiny; after all, it would need to be a viable reason for your demise to happen, and it would also have to hide the true outcome from prying eyes."

"I understand," Ichigo nodded. "Thank you for your honesty."

"Of course," Urahara nodded. The door slid open behind the man, revealing Rukia in her Gigai. "Ah, Kuchiki-san. I take it the Gigai is to your satisfaction?"

"Yes, it doesn't have the nervous tick it did last time," Rukia confirmed, rotating the body's shoulder.

"Yes, the upgrade to reflexes clearly wasn't calibrated correctly," the shop-keeper agreed. "My sincerest apologies."

"Don't worry about it, Kisuke," Rukia shrugged it off. "Nobody's perfect, after all." A small sensation washed over them. "It seems Ishida is near."

"Yeah," Ichigo nodded. "And Sado's with him too. That's perfect. We have to go, Kisuke; need to say goodbye to many people before we do _that_." Kisuke nodded, understanding. "Let's go, Rukia." The short Lieutenant nodded and began to head for the door. Ichigo reached it and turned around. "Oh, and Kisuke?"

"Hm?" the shop-keeper asked groggily.

"I consider you," he replied, "to be my friend as well. So do me a favour, and call me Ichigo." And with that, he disappeared through the door, Rukia hot on his heels. Urahara smiled and pulled his hat down, sitting down once again.

"Sure, Ichigo," he smirked, taking a swig of tea.

* * *

Two figures ran down the streets after the lanky being, the left arm little more than a stump after meeting a blast of blue energy, burning most of the limb away. A small cluster of arrows protruded from the creature's back, none of the wounds proving fatal. The darker-skinned of the two turned to the other as they ran.

"Can you feel that?" he asked. The bespectacled man nodded, the bow in his right hand swinging back and forth as he ran.

"Yes, it's Ichigo's reiatsu," the Quincy nodded. "And Rukia's with him." Uryu glanced at Sado. "Let's finish this off quickly; he seems to be heading this way." Sado nodded, blue energy wreathing his armoured right arm like flames, while Uryu used Hirenkyaku to move around the hollow they were pursuing. The hollow skidded to a halt and stepped backward a bit as Uryu took aim. "Now, Sado! Licht Regen!"

"El Directo!" Sado shouted as he loosed his pent-up energy in one great blast.

As the hollow moved to dodge the blast, Uryu's arrows swarmed and fired out in mass, the twin energies consuming the creature completely, turning it into a cloud of black reshi. No sooner had they finished the beast off did Ichigo and Rukia appear down the street. The two humans sealed their abilities and walked over to the two Soul Reapers.

"You're back then, Kurosaki," Uryu stated with a playful smirk. "We thought you had left us." Ichigo scowled back.

"Shut up, Ishida," he glowered. "I would at least tell everyone before I left."

"I know, Kurosaki, I'm messing with you," the Quincy replied smugly. "What brings you two out here this early? It's certainly not like you to be awake at eight o'clock, Kurosaki."

"Hey! I've only been late three times this term!" Ichigo snapped irately. He sighed, trying to recompose himself, then looked up at the Quincy and the giant. His serious look took Uryu by surprise. "Ishida, Sado, I've got something I need to tell you." He took a breath to ease his nerves, then spoke again. "I've been made Captain of Fifth Squad, but because of that, I need to stay in Seireitei." Sado remained neutral in expression, though Uryu seemed to look crestfallen at this.

"When?" the archer asked bluntly.

"Tonight," Ichigo replied. "Urahara has a plan for making my promotion official; I have to die here for that to happen." Sado's expression changed to one of shock, his eyes widening at this news.

"It's sudden, isn't it?" he asked. Ichigo smiled meekly.

"Apparently they've had this thought out since I lost my powers," Ichigo replied. "It's only now I can take them up on it." His smile faltered. "I need you to do me a favour while I'm in Soul Society; can I trust both of you to protect Karakura with everything you have?"

"You don't have to ask us to," Uryu replied with a soft smile. "We'll keep everyone safe."

"Thanks, Ishida," Ichigo smiled back. He shook hands with both the Quincy and the Hispanic giant beside him. "We need to be going; I still need to say goodbye to a few more people before tonight." Uryu and Sado nodded, understanding. "Take care, Ishida, Sado."

"Good luck, Ichigo," Sado gave the Captain a thumbs up as he spoke.

"Well done on your promotion, Kurosaki," Uryu nodded. "See you around."

"Yeah, see you around," Ichigo agreed, waving them off as he and Rukia walked away. He pulled out his phone as they rounded the corner and started clicking away as he typed.

"What are you doing?" Rukia asked curiously, eyeing the mobile closely. Ichigo glanced at her briefly before resuming his typing.

"I'm sending a message to Orihime, Tatsuki and the others," he replied. "Telling them to meet us at the Plaza at ten o'clock." Rukia looked at the watch Urahara had placed on the Gigai's left wrist and frowned.

"Ichigo, that's not for almost two hours," she said bluntly. Ichigo's phone snapped shut as he smiled at Rukia, pocketing it as he did.

"I know that," he replied. "Fancy a coffee?" Rukia looked stunned at first, then grinned with a chuckle.

"Sure," she replied nonchalantly. "Looks like we have time to."

* * *

Rukia took a sip of her drink as Ichigo juggled a steaming white mug and a plate with a few biscuits on it, making a beeline for a small table near the corner, right up against the window. Her mind cast back to her early days with Ichigo, remembering the mangas she had read where a man would ask his crush to a coffee shop just like the one they were in, and this would spark off their romance. As she thought of this, her mind drifted back to the night Ichigo had lost control; the night she had kissed him. Just thinking of it made her lips tingle again, despite how long it had been since then, and a sense of longing to repeat the simple but intoxicating action overcame her.

_This could be it,_ she thought as they neared the table. _This could be the perfect chance to tell him how I feel._ The thought made sense, but Rukia felt conflicted; despite her desire to tell Ichigo how she felt for him, there was a big problem for her plan; Ichigo was saying goodbye to his friends and family before going back to Soul Society, and having her spring on him that she had feelings for him would only make him more uncomfortable in her eyes. _He doesn't need that,_ Rukia decided with a silent sigh. _I'll be able to tell him when he is in Soul Society. That will be better._

"Hey, Rukia?" Ichigo's voice said as he poked her in the forehead. "Are you even listening to me?" She ground her teeth and swatted Ichigo's hand away.

"Shut up," she grunted, biting back her tongue. "It's not my fault if you're making no sense."

"Excuse me?" Ichigo asked angrily. "It makes no sense that I want to spend time with my friends and family before I have to leave them?!" Rukia shrank back a little, realising how hurtful her words had been, and stared at Ichigo for a moment.

"Sorry," she sighed. "I guess I was a little distracted. I didn't mean-"

"It's fine," Ichigo cut her off, picking up a biscuit and biting into it. "Just keep your head out of the clouds." Rukia puffed up her chest a little indignantly.

"What makes you so high and mighty?" she asked. Ichigo closed his eyes, took a gulp of his drink and set the cup aside.

"Rukia, can we not do this now?" he asked softly, startling the Lieutenant. "I don't want to argue with you today of all days." Rukia nodded, understanding, and drank from her own cup, a biscuit balanced on her knee with a bite missing.

"Ok, Ichigo," she replied. "For today."

They drank their drinks while reminiscing of the times they had had before the Aizen fiasco. Both had finished a biscuit each, and were laughing about the repair work Uryu had done for Kon when he ran away from the Kurosaki household, reaching for the third and final biscuit on the plate. Their fingers grazed each other's, drawing them out of their laughter. Both pairs of eyes fell on their hands, realising that their fingers were intertwined, then up to the other's irises, purest chocolate pouring into deep amethyst pools as they locked stares. Neither realised that their heads were moving until they were a few inches from one another, at which point both were rotating slightly to accept the other. Their hearts pounded in the prisons of their ribs and their breath laced the other's nasal cavities. Rukia smiled softly at the scent of coffee and chocolate, while Ichigo found himself intoxicated by the peppermint overpowering his nostrils. In that moment, each wondered if they would taste as they smelled.

"IIICHIIIGOOOOO!"

They never found out. As abruptly as ever, none other than Asano Keigo shot towards them, making both jump backward in the blink of an eye, Ichigo standing up and laying his fist into Keigo's path, allowing the dark-haired teenager to ram into his outstretched extremity in full stride. Keigo crumpled under the strike, falling to the floor and moaning in pain. Ichigo sighed, rolling his eyes, and got Keigo under the arms.

"Rukia," he said. "Let's go."

"Right," Rukia nodded, standing. As she was about to follow Ichigo, she looked back to the plate on the table and scooped up the biscuit, popping the edge into her mouth to hold as she pulled her jacket on.

Outside, Ichigo dumped Keigo's limp body on the path, shaking his head. Mizuiro, Orihime and Tatsuki stood a little way from the floored Neanderthal, a mixture of looks of shock, anger and indifference as they regarded Keigo.

"Baka," Tatsuki practically spat. "I told you it was a bad idea."

"Why... Ichigo?" Keigo whimpered.

"Because you just tried to jump him, Asano-san," Mizuiro filled in for Ichigo, typing on his phone all the while. Keigo jumped up and gripped the dark-haired young man by the upper arms.

"Mizuiro~!" he whined. "Don't call me that! It's weird!"

"Matches you perfectly, Keigo," Ichigo replied mockingly. "I might start using it myself."

"Gah! You people hate me, don't you?!" Keigo shouted melodramatically. Tatsuki, by now severely pissed off by his whining and shouting, brought her fist down upon his skull with a satisfying crunch.

"Knock it off, baka!" she shouted at him before looking up to Ichigo with a grinned. "So, what's the occasion, Ichigo?" Ichigo frowned.

"Does there need to be an occasion?" he asked. Tatsuki's expression said it all. "Alright, fine, maybe there is an occasion behind this."

"Well, spit it out then," Tatsuki folded her arms. Ichigo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's not that easy, alright?" he said, trying to calm his nerves. Finally, with a deep breath, he told his friends. "You remember that I had the abilities of a Soul Reaper a few years ago?" The question was aimed more at Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro, none of whom seemed to be unable to remember this. "Well, I got my powers back last week, which is why half of Karakura Downtown got wrecked."

"You mean that gas main explosion was your doing?" Mizuiro asked. Ichigo nodded before going on.

"Anyway, now that my powers are stable again," he went on. "I've been promoted to Captain of Fifth Squad in Seireitei."

"Hey, that's great, Ichigo!" Keigo offered supportively, but Ichigo's expression made his words and smile falter. "That's good, isn't it?"

"Sort of," he replied. "It means that I'm going to have to go for a while."

"How long is a while?" Orihime asked.

"I'll almost always be needed in Seireitei," Ichigo replied solemnly. "I probably will only be back to visit briefly or on missions." The four crestfallen humans exchanged looks of worry, but Ichigo went on all the same; he had built up momentum which he could not afford to lose. "I want you all to know that I am going before it happens, so here it is..."

He told the group Urahara's plan, relaying what the piece of paper said. They stood in silence as he foretold his own demise to his closest friends, their expressions and bodies frozen by shock. When he had finished, Ichigo turned to Tatsuki.

"You've known my family for almost my entire life, Tatsuki," he said with a slight smile. "Could you look out for Yuzu and Karin while I'm not here?" The martial arts instructor smiled softly, touched by the request.

"Of course," she replied. "I'll look out for them like they're my own sisters."

"Thanks," Ichigo bowed slightly into a nod before turning to Keigo and Mizuiro. "I won't forget about you guys, so don't you dare change."

"You got it, Ichigo," Mizuiro smiled a little. "Congratulations on your promotion." Keigo just looked as if he had been punched in the stomach, though this was not far from the truth. Ichigo placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll visit you whenever I can," he said. "I promise." Keigo smiled a little.

"I know," he replied. "Just stay safe; you have to come back here."

"I will," Ichigo smiled, patting Keigo's shoulder. He turned to Orihime, who seemed to be choking back tears. "Hey, don't cry, Orihime. I won't leave you guys." She sniffled, tears brimming her large eyes.

"But Kurosaki-kun," she whimpered. "You're going to... die."

"Only in physical body," he replied. "I'm not actually going to die; I've got too much to do." He held her in a friendly, comforting hug. "I'm sorry I never matched up to the person you thought I am, but I'm glad you have someone who can make you feel how you deserve to feel; don't let Ishida do anything stupid."

"I won't," she whispered, hugging him back. "And you're wrong; you're so much more than I thought you were, Kurosaki-kun." He patted her back and they separated.

"I'm sorry, guys," he said. "But there's one more group I have to say goodbye to. Then I have to go." He waved goodbye to his friends, all of whom still looked anxious and saddened by the news of his impending doom, and headed down the roads, Rukia a step behind him as they headed for Ichigo's final stop before Urahara's plan came into effect.

* * *

The Kurosaki Clinic seemed quiet as they approached. It was a little after one in the afternoon by the time they reached the building, and the sun was high in the blue sky as they opened the door and stepped inside. Almost instantly, a mouse-brown blur flew from the lounge area and slammed into Ichigo's torso.

"There you are, Onii-chan!" Yuzu beamed up at her brother. "We were so worried about you when you weren't in bed!"

"Sorry, Yuzu," he smiled, ruffling her hair. Yuzu looked up at him, bemused. "Are Karin and Otousan home?"

"Y- Yeah, Karin is in the lounge and Otousan is in the kitchen," she replied. "Onii-chan, what's wrong?"

"Don't worry about it," he smiled at his sister. "I'm going to go talk to Otousan, ok? Just wait in the lounge for a minute."

The orange-haired young man walked on into the kitchen area, where Isshin stood with his back to Ichigo. Had it been any other time, Ichigo would have considered kicking the older man in the head for his 'morning bonding' for the last several years, but not then. Instead he cleared his throat.

"Otousan," he started. Isshin turned to his son, his eyes glistening and slightly reddened, and Ichigo realised the older man had been crying. "What's wrong?"

"I heard from Kisuke," he replied. "About your promotion." Ichigo nodded, his eyes not wanting to meet his father's. "I'm proud of how strong you have become, my son, and I know that this is the right path for you." Ichigo smiled a little, trying to maintain his integrity. "I have not told your sisters; I felt it was you duty to, not mine."

"Thank you," Ichigo managed. "Could you help me?" Isshin nodded, understanding what his son meant. "Let's get this done quickly, before I lose my nerve."

He filed into the lounge, where Yuzu and Karin sat on the couch, the television blaring out the news. Ichigo turned it off, much to Karin's annoyance, but he ignored her and sat between the twins. Rukia stood off to the side, ready to offer support if anyone needed it, while Isshin stood at the arm of the couch.

"Yuzu, Karin," Ichigo started shakily. "I haven't been honest with you two. The night a truck drove through our house, it wasn't a truck..."

Ichigo retold his story to his sisters, from the night he met Rukia, to his rescuing her from execution, to his hollowfication, from Aizen's betrayal to his defeat at his hand and his consequent loss of powers. They listened intently, transfixed by his tale, grateful he was telling them at last. After almost two hours, he reached the present day.

"And then I got promoted to be Captain of Fifth Squad," he finished. "But now I have to go to Seireitei."

They sat in silence, then Yuzu grinned.

"Wow, onii-chan!" she beamed. "That's incredible! You're going to be a great Captain!"

"Thanks, Yuzu," Ichigo smiled softly, his arms around the twins' shoulders. "So, what do you think, Karin?"

"I kind of knew," she murmured. "I talked to that Toshiro kid a lot when he was around; he told me about you being a Soul Reaper."

"You never told me, Karin," Yuzu pouted.

"It didn't seem necessary," the dark-haired girl replied. She paused. "Wait, how can you be a Captain if you're still here, Ichi-nii?"

_Damn, _Ichigo thought. _She always was sharp._

"That's why I'm telling you both this," Ichigo replied. "Since I'm now a Captain, I have to live in Soul Society." Yuzu's mouth opened in a look of hurt shock. "I need to appear to be dead here."

"No... onii-chan," Yuzu whimpered, tears filling her eyes. "You can't leave us like this!" The teenager broke down into tears without any regard for dignity. Ichigo tightened his grip on his sisters as Karin's eyes threatened to repeat Yuzu's.

"Ssh," he whispered softly to them as they held their brother close, heads resting on his chest. "It's ok, I won't leave you forever. I may not be able to be here all the time, but I will come back whenever I can. I promise you both that much."

The two sisters cried in their brother's arms until their tears ran dry in their ducts and only the choked moans and sniffles remained. Yuzu looked up from Ichigo and turned her puffy, reddened gaze upon Rukia.

"Rukia," the brown-haired girl said softly. "Please make sure Ichigo stays safe." Rukia looked startled for a moment, then nodded an affirmative.

"Of course," she replied. The twins stood and hugged Rukia tightly.

"And take care of yourself too," Yuzu whispered into the Soul Reaper's ear. "You're like our sister."

"And you are like mine," Rukia smiled, holding them close. "We will visit whenever we can."

As the girls embraced, Isshin turned to Ichigo, having a quiet conversation with his son.

"Are you certain this is what you want, Ichigo?" he asked. "Once you go through with this, there will be no going back."

"I know," Ichigo replied calmly. "But this is the only route which makes sense to me; I have to do this, otousan." Isshin nodded and reached into his pocket.

"I thought as much," he said, pulling his hand out of his pocket. "Misaki gave this to me the night she was lost; she knew that my past would eventually catch up to you, and she made me promise to give it to you when the time came." He handed Ichigo the object, a fairly weighty circular medallion of bronzed gold on a red ribbon. Engraved into the medallion were two crescent moons on either side of the kanji for 'one who protects'. On the back was a short message, which read;

'Ichigo,

I may be gone when you receive this, but I will always be with you. This medallion will keep you safe in your darkest hour. You are destined for great things, my son. I know you will make us all very proud of you.

Love Misaki.'

Tears pricked at Ichigo's eyes as he read this, but he refused to break down even then. He looked back to Isshin and smiled.

"Thanks, otousan," he said, before hugging his father with his right arm. "Take care of Karin and Yuzu."

"And you take care of Rukia," he replied. "I won't forgive you if something happens to my third daughter." The joking brought a chuckle to Ichigo's throat, but he suppressed it, worried it might release his pent up emotions.

"Rukia," he said, glancing at his watch. "It's time." Rukia nodded, hugged the girls one last time, and headed towards the door. Ichigo opened the door and smiled softly to his family. "Goodbye, guys. I'll see you soon."

And then he was gone into the cold of the approaching evening.

* * *

"Where the hell is he?" Ichigo's angry mutterings fell upon deaf ears in the crowded evening streets.

He had gone to the Urahara Shoten once more to organise the last factors of his life, giving the measurements for his Gigai and running through the plan for that night once more with Urahara. With the specifics cleared up, he had headed out for the point where he would begin the end of his life as a human. He looked around in the crowd once more and spotted him; a red-haired man in a hooded coat and a facial mask, only his eyes, the top of his nose and some stray locks of hair visible. The man nodded and headed to the east while Ichigo took a breath to prepare himself.

"Hey!" he heard someone shout. _Here we go_, he thought. "Somebody help! That guy stole my bag!"

He looked up to where the woman was pointing, spotting the man running with a purple handbag clutched within his left hand. Instantly, he took off after the man, sprinting to catch up to him.

"Hey!" he roared. "Get back here!"

He gave chase for a while, gaining on the bag-snatcher. If anyone had been watching, they would have assumed he was determined to catch the man, and that was the reason most took for what happened next.

With a screech of rubber on tarmac, Ichigo came to the realisation that he was in the middle of the road with a rather large blue truck heading at him too fast to stop. Before he could even blink, the truck's grill slammed into his chest at a good fifty miles an hour. He practically felt his ribs buckle under the force and knew almost instantly that his lungs and possibly his heart had been punctured, his chest cavity torn up and haemorrhaging. He watched as his body went head-over-heels a few times before slamming into a hard shoulder with a sickening crunch, coming to a standstill slumped over the metal bar. Ichigo grimaced at the sight; he had barely gotten out of the way in time to evade the damage. He looked down at the piece of paper in his pocket and read the plan once more. It read;

'At six thirty exactly, Noba will pose as a thief and steal Yoruichi's bag. You will have to give chase until you reach 37th Street, where Kurodo will pose as a truck driver and will run you over. Do not worry about this; the Gigai Release Seal will be integrated in the vehicle badge on the front of the truck; so long as you make contact with this, you will be released from your body. Once your spirit is released, use Shunpo to get away from the area; the empty body will do the work for you from there.'

He looked up from the paper, gazing at the commotion as paramedics and police began to flock into the area. He sighed a little and looked to his left, where Rukia stood beside him in the air. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"I think that's our cue to leave," he said, unsheathing his sword. The belt holding the scabbard to his back now held the medallion about the centre of his chest. He thrust the sword, willing it to enter the rend in the dimension, and was surprised when the tip of the blade disappeared into the air and hit something. "Now, unlock." With a turn of his hand, the Senkaimon appeared and slid effortlessly open. "Come on, let's get back to Soul Society."

"Right," Rukia nodded in agreement as two Hell Butterflies flew out to greet them as Ichigo sheathed his blade and stepped into the white light.

Moments after Rukia cleared the threshold, the Senkaimon vanished, just as a medical examiner on the ground removed his stethoscope from his ears and sighed.

"He's gone," he said solemnly.

* * *

_Yep, that's what I had planned; a car accident. I'm sorry if people thought it was unoriginal or anything like that, but that's just how it goes sometimes._

_Anyway, read and review, and I'll post again when I can._

_Next time, Ichigo starts to learn what a day in the life of a Captain is like!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Brief: **With his Soul Reaper powers restored, and his hollow finally subdued once and for all, Ichigo Kurosaki thinks his life can finally go back to normal. However, a visit to Seireitei soon changes that theory for the young Substitute. Can Ichigo adjust to his new life, or will he give in and return to how it was before?_

_**Warnings: **Contains some aggressive language, possible violence and romance throughout. Reader discretion is advised if any of the above offend you._

_**Pairings: **IchiRuki, may contain smaller pairings such as ByaHis or HitsuHina_

_**SPOILERS from the Fullbring Arc and previous**_

_**Disclaimer: **Bleach is the property of Tite Kubo, not me. If I owned Bleach, Ichigo would already be with Rukia ;)_

* * *

**Bleach: Bonds Beyond Dimensions**

**Chapter 4: How to Train Your Captain**

It had been a few days since his faked death in Karakura Town, but Ichigo had not had time to look back on this. The first few days had been hellish; between the mountain of paperwork, which he suspected had been backed up since Aizen's deception and faked death in Seireitei all those years ago, the pressure to impress his squad when training or just around the barracks, and the need to train himself, he had had very little time to think about his actions or the resulting repercussions of them. It was Thursday and Ichigo was overlooking another training session. Since starting, he had begun to learn the fighting strengths and specialities of the squad, particularly the seated officers. The clashing of swords filled the air, but Ichigo only watched from the sidelines with his Lieutenant by his side. He let out a sigh.

"We should find out which members of the squad have Shikai or Bankai," he mused. "Then we can improve our practice routines." Momo nodded.

"I agree," she replied. "But you will struggle to find many in Squad Five who have Bankai. Most of the ranks have little knowledge of their zanpakuto, they don't even know the name of them." Ichigo sighed, remembering when he was in such a position.

"We'll have to fix that first then," he replied, folding his arms as he watched the Third and Fourth Seats sparring fiercely, prompting him to turn to Momo once more. "Tell me, how many Seated Officers do we have?"

"At last count, six," Momo replied. "Apart from the top two positions in the squad, the Third, Fourth, Eighth and Twelfth Seats have been filled." Ichigo grimaced at this.

"I'm amazed such a group runs so efficiently with so few ranked officers amongst them," he said.

"We have been behind on promotions," Momo admitted. "It is part of a Captain's job to assign the Seats. We were due a round of promotions a month after Aizen's betrayal, but these have never been dealt with. We also lost our Fifth, Ninth and Sixteenth Seats due to deaths in the field on missions. Right now, we are barely able to maintain the infrastructure as it is." Ichigo nodded, turned as the sound of rushing air caught his attention. Rukia straightened up as his amber irises found her small form.

"Afternoon," she smiled warmly. Ichigo grinned.

"Hey," he replied. "What brings you out here? I heard Squad Thirteen was training for the entirity of today."

"We are," Rukia replied. "But Captain Kyoraku has just taken the squad for joint exercises, so I came to get you for training." At first, Ichigo looked blankly at the Lieutenant, but the gears of his mind finally ground into place, and he realised what she meant.

"Right," he nodded. "Where the hell's Renji?" As he spoke, another figure emerged from Shunpo. The blonde man bowed, emerging on his knee. Ichigo recognised the man as Third Squad's Lieutenant, though the man's name escaped him.

"Good afternoon, Kurosaki-taicho," the man said. "Abarai-taicho asked me to collect the Fifth for joint exercises at the Third Squad's barracks. Is Squad Five ready to leave?"

"Uh, yeah," Ichigo nodded, turning to the Squad. "Alright, everyone, stop what you're doing." The Squad slowly stopped sparring, turning towards their Captain. He glanced to the man before him. "Sorry, I never caught your name."

"It's fine," the man smiled. "My name is Kira Izuru, Third Squad Fukutaicho."

"Thank you," Ichigo nodded, turning his attention back to his Squad. "Alright, everyone, it is time for joint exercises with Squad Three. I want you all to go with Kira-Fukutaicho to the Third's barracks. Remember, you're representing the Squad while you're out there, so I want to hear good things later. Dismissed."

The squad left the grounds with Izuru, leaving Ichigo standing there with Momo and Rukia on either side of him. After a moment, he grinned and looked from one to the other.

"So," he spoke finally. "Shall we get going?"

The three of them moved off swiftly, for the underground training area where Ichigo had learnt to control his Bankai under the guidance of Yoruichi. The Flash Goddess's hideout lay in the cliffs away from Seireitei or Rukongai, meaning the chances of damaging the population with excessive reiryoku or reiatsu levels was minimal, making it safer for them to perform Ichigo's Kido training should it go out of control. Once they reached the entrance, which existed as a sort of manhole with a long ladder leading down into the depths of the cliffs, Ichigo removed the cover and slid down the ladder to the floor below, closely followed by Momo and then Rukia, who pulled the cover back into place before she headed down. Once everyone was gathered at the foot of the ladder, Momo gasped and looked around in amazement.

"Oh my," she said in awe. "Such a great place! Who could have made so large a base without anyone knowing?"

"Heh, what do you know?" Ichigo grinned at his subordinate's words. "Someone other than Inoue who reacts how Urahara-san actually wanted to his crazy hideouts." Rukia smiled knowingly at Ichigo's words, but said nothing as he turned his attention to Momo. "You've never been to the real Karakura Town, have you?"

"Well, no," Momo shook her head. "But I don't see what that has to do with this place."

"Well, it means you probably never met the scientist who made it," Ichigo explained with a grin. "The shop-keeper we go to for our needs while in Karakura Town, Urahara Kisuke, made this place and one like it under his shop."

"That's so extreme," Momo mused. "Why did he have to make so large a room to train?" Ichigo frowned, scratching his head.

"You know, I never thought about it," he replied. "But that's a good point." Rukia sighed and rolled her eyes at this.

"We don't have time to contemplate what Urahara's motives were," she said bluntly, cutting off any further thoughts on the subject, despite her own intrigue in the matter. "We're here to teach you how to control Kido, Ichigo."

"Uh, right," Ichigo nodded, conceding to Rukia's way of thinking. "So, how do we start? Channelling my reiatsu into one of those cannonballs from Shiba-san?"

"Not exactly," Rukia replied. "We'll start simpler than that. First, I want you to remove your Haori so it doesn't get damaged if we have any misfires." Ichigo obliged, hanging the white material on a large rock formation. "Alright, we'll start with a simple offensive-type Kido which I'm sure you're familiar with. Listen to the incantation and repeat what we do." Rukia nodded to Momo, who nodded in return, aiming her left index finger at a rock a few feet away.

"Storm of light, seer the skies and burn the ground," Momo uttered, a crackle of light appearing at her fingertip. "Hado number 4, Byakurai!"

A bolt of condensed white lightning shot forth from the Lieutenant's fingertip, piercing the rock and splitting it about the hole created in the stone. Ichigo looked impressed, but soon frowned.

"I had no idea Byakurai had an incantation," he said. "Whenever I saw it in use, it would be used without incantation."

"I'm impressed, Ichigo," Rukia smirked. "You pay more attention to what happens in battles than I give you credit for."

"Shut up," Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Besides, you tend to remember moves when you're on the receiving end."

"It's true that some spells do not have incantations," Momo chipped in. "But using those with an incantation without it lowers its power. This is known as Eishohaki. Before you attempt this, you should be happy to use the spell with its full incantation."

"Right," Ichigo nodded. Rukia stepped forward, forcing the Captain forward so that he was standing side-on to a rock, pointing his left index finger to the target rock. "So, I just say the incantation and it fires, right?"

"While you say it," Rukia explained. "Focus your reiatsu into the appendage you are using for the spell."

"Alright then," Ichigo nodded. He took a reassuring breath, then focussed his energy as Rukia specified. "Storm of light, seer the skies and scorch the earth," he said clearly. A fairly large ball of light began to crackle at Ichigo's fingertip as the Kido built up energy. Rukia stepped back, surprised by this. "Hado number 4, Byakurai!"

The resulting blast of energy was immense; the beam was vast and covered a greater area than it should have been. The condensed beam usually fired was more of a spray of energy, the wide electrical field of energy creating a static field a few metres around the beam. Electricity pulsed up Ichigo's left arm, charring and tearing up his sleeve. After a few minutes, the beam began to dissipate into nothingness once more, leaving Ichigo with a smouldering left arm, though he seemed otherwise unfazed by the huge blast he had just launched.

"What the hell, bakamono?!" Rukia shouted in hysterics. "You could have fried us all with that reckless Kido!"

"It's not my fault I couldn't use it properly," Ichigo replied with a shrug. "I did exactly what you told me to do, that's just how it went."

"I think I know why," Momo interjected before Rukia could shout at the Captain again. "Your reiatsu, Kurosaki-taicho, is much higher in intensity than my own, meaning there was too much energy for the standard Byakurai to retain its shape. I recommend limiting your reiatsu flow to allow the Kido to maintain its usual function."

"Alright, let me try one more time," Ichigo said, taking aim on a different rock. "Storm of light, seer the skies and scorch the earth! Hado number 4, Byakurai!"

The beam crackled for a moment, then shot forth in a compressed beam of electricity. The beam pierced the rock and crumbled it into dust from the opening. In a few seconds, the beam had dissipated and the rock was nothing more than dust in the wind. Satisfied, Ichigo turned to Momo and smiled.

"Good call," he said to her. His Lieutenant blushed while Ichigo turned to Rukia. "See, it wasn't my fault it went wrong." The raven-haired Lieutenant scoffed and folded her arms indignantly.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "It certainly wasn't my fault you have such a ridiculous amount of reiatsu."

"But it was your fault I didn't factor that in the first time," Ichigo bit back. "And don't say it as if I am to blame for my reiatsu level!"

"Uh, Kurosaki-taicho?" Momo interrupted the arguing once more. "Perhaps you should try to use Hado number 4 using Eishohaki. It is a useful skill to learn for conflicts. When you are happy with that Kido, we can try a higher level spell."

Ichigo nodded, setting to work quickly and firing off varying power-levels of Byakurai, some singeing the rocks and leaving them practically unscathed, others vaporising them entirely as if they were water in a heat-wave. Rukia and Momo watched with interest as he practised both the incantation and Eishohaki forms of Byakurai. Rukia smiled as she watched her previous Shinigami Daiko perform the basic Hado with ease. Momo turned to Rukia.

"If we spend this session focussing on Hado up to level fifty," she said. "We can cover some low-level Bakudo on Sunday and begin to teach Kurosaki-taicho how to chain them together next week." Rukia smiled and nodded.

"Sounds good," she nodded. There was a pause, then Rukia looked back to Momo. "Hinamori-san, could I ask you something?" Momo turned back to Rukia with a hum, signalling her fellow Lieutenant to go on. "Why won't you call Ichigo 'Ichigo'? I've heard him ask you to do so many times, yet you still refer to him by 'Kurosaki-taicho'. How come?"

Momo smiled a little and looked back to the orange-haired Captain as he launched another Byakurai, this time from his right index finger; he had been switching hands to test a theory that the appendage did not matter.

"I cannot bring myself to do that," she replied. "It would be too disrespectful of me to refer to my superior so casually, Kuchiki-san. I cannot oblige to his wishes as such." Rukia frowned a little, wondering if this was a habit she picked up from her time with Aizen, but she kept quiet about it. "What about you?" The question took Rukia off-guard. She gave Momo a confused look. "Why do you choose to call him Ichigo?" Rukia smiled warmly, looking to Ichigo as he fired another blast of Kido.

"Because he is my closest friend," she replied. Images of the night he had gone berserk in the woods, of her display of affection to him as his hollow lost power, swam through her mind, making her smile go from warm to bittersweet; Ichigo had not said anything more about it, and it seemed he had believed her when she had told him the thought of her kissing him was ludicrous. Momo picked up on this and nodded.

"I see," she said, her tone suggesting something more than what Rukia had said.

"See what?" Rukia asked, puzzled. Momo gave her a knowing look.

"I'm not blind, Kuchiki-san," the brunette replied. "It is obvious you like Kurosaki-taicho more than you like to let on." Rukia's cheeks flushed. "If you feel that way, just tell him." Rukia sighed.

"It's not that simple," she replied solemnly. "If I tell him how I truly feel, I risk losing what we have now; I don't think I'm strong enough to take that risk." Momo's arm draped over Rukia's shoulder in a friendly embrace.

"Sometimes you have to take a risk like that," Momo replied gently. "Otherwise you'll never move passed it, and that could ruin your friendship more than confessing your love would." Rukia smiled and patted Momo on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the advice, Hinamori-san," she said, noticing Ichigo walking over. "Let's just keep this between us, ok?" Momo nodded as Ichigo neared, allowing Rukia to explain the next course of action. "Alright, Ichigo, how do you feel using Byakurai?"

"It's pretty easy," he shrugged. "What's next?"

"Let's try Shakkaho," Rukia suggested. "Listen to the incantation and pay attention to the stance." Ichigo nodded, watching the short Lieutenant take up a forward-facing stance, her palms facing a rock. "Ye Lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado number 31, Shakkaho!"

The red fireball struck the rock and exploded, causing a cloud of smoke and a rain of debris to flow from the rock. When the smoke had cleared, the top of the rock had been reduced to pebbles. Ichigo stepped forward, repeating the process, but once again forgetting to reduce his reiatsu flow to limit the blast, resulting in a much larger fireball being unleashed and blowing the rock it struck to pieces. The top was catapulted high into the air, but Ichigo acted quickly, raising his left hand to aim at the rock.

"Hado number 31! Shakkaho!" he commanded, firing another fireball with ease, reducing the rock to rubble. He grinned as he turned to Rukia, who looked amazed and astounded at how quickly he had grasped the spell. "How was that?"

"Impressive," she managed to say. "How did you learn that so quickly?" Ichigo frowned, thinking about it.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I just got the feeling I had done something like it before, so my body could learn to use it very easily."

"Perhaps its your hollow's Cero," Rukia noted. "Maybe its more similar to Kido than we first theorised." Ichigo shrugged, prompting Rukia to go on. "Since you have Shakkaho down, let's move on."

* * *

Breathless pants and smoke filled the training area. Rukia stared in bemusement at the rubble which had been the boulder fields of the training area until Ichigo had been at it; the destructive Kidos had caused vast damages throughout the area, including opening a new entrance in the ceiling which had previously not existed, and the fiery explosions had created a great deal of smoke everywhere. The Squad Thirteen Lieutenant was aware of Momo spluttering on the acrid fumes while Ichigo sweated and panted from his exertion.

"Maybe teaching you Sokatsui, Okasen and Haien as well as Shakkaho was a mistake," Rukia noted. Ichigo looked over and grinned.

"I don't know about that," he shrugged. "Though Raikoho was a different matter; I didn't realise that would have so much kick."

"Now you see why it's important you train these spells," Rukia sighed, rolling her eyes. Her gaze fell on Ichigo's burnt left arm with concern. She sighed and lifted his arm up to her torso-height. "Here, let me fix that; its only a minor burn."

Ichigo groaned at her concern, trying to pass it off as nothing much, but he had to admit that it stung, and it would be a nuisance to train later that day with a burnt arm, even if it was his weaker arm. His arm became engulfed in a faint green glow from Rukia's reiatsu, but he noted that her energy was lower due to all of her demonstrations, especially Raikoho. Placing his right hand on her shoulder, he gently willed his reiatsu into her body, the green intensifying around his limb and Rukia's hands. She shot him a questioning look.

"Hey, you're helping me," he pointed out. "I'm just making sure you're ok as well." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not even your subordinate," she muttered.

"No, but you are my friend," Ichigo replied. "Besides, I have more reiatsu to burn than you do." The burn had subsided, causing the light to fade. "Thanks."

"No problem," Rukia shrugged. She jerked a thumb towards Ichigo's destroyed sleeve. "Are you glad I told you to remove your Haori now?"

"Heh, yeah, I guess it would have been bad if I came back with my Haori burnt up before my first week is up," he agreed, scratching the back of his head. He looked around the room a moment. "Uh, I don't suppose you know where it is, do you?" Rukia brought her hand to her face, shaking her head a little.

"You truly are hopeless, Ichigo," she sighed. Momo appeared behind her, the slightly dusty bundle of Ichigo's Haori in her arms. "Now, we should get back to our barracks; the joint exercises are almost over for today."

Agreeing, Momo and Ichigo headed out of the underground area with Rukia close behind. Momo left ahead to ensure the squad had at least one of the highest-ranked officers was at the barracks when they returned, leaving Rukia and Ichigo moving at a more docile pace. She looked to Ichigo for a moment before speaking up.

"So, how has your first week been?" she asked. "I'm sure it has been eventful."

"Sort of," Ichigo shrugged with a sigh. "I guess you could call it eventful, though really, its just shown me how much there is to do with the squad." Rukia raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"I was under the impression the Fifth Squad was doing fine," she remarked. "Of all the ones which lost their Captains, the Fifth appeared to be the most stable."

"It's a facade," Ichigo replied solemnly. "The officer infrastructure is in pieces; besides myself and Momo, we have only four seated officers, and only two of them are in the top six positions. It's a wonder the squad is able to keep on as it has done so far. On top of that, their training needs work, but I can't be the person to do that."

"What are you talking about, Ichigo?" Rukia frowned. "You have more experience using your zanpakuto from the year you had your powers than most of them will have in fifty years time; you are a perfect candidate for that. And you're a natural with Kido and Shunpo."

"But that's the problem," Ichigo sighed. "My abilities were developed from instinct rather than training; you can't teach someone instinct. And my Kido is shoddy to say the least; it's too uncontrolled to teach someone efficiently.

"These guys have been taught their entire careers as Shinigami to be a 'jack of all trades', but I can't be that person; my abilities are raw and untrained, meaning I'm in no place to teach them anything." He heaved a sigh once more, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe I should just give this up."

Something impacted his cheek hard without him realising, making the Captain stop dead, holding his wound. He looked up to see Rukia glaring at him, her hand reeling back from the slap she had just given him.

"Don't you dare even _think_ of that, Ichigo," she said icily. "You are better than you give yourself credit to be, and don't ever let someone, _especially yourself_, tell you otherwise. So what if Aizen went through the normal ways to become Taicho? So what if he had a hand in every skill set in the Shinigami training? So what if that man did a better job at running Squad Five than you have so far? You are _not _Aizen Sosuke!

"He was a fool for throwing away all he had," she went on. "He left that squad in disarray just so that he could chase after his delusional dreams, and you bested him in every way!" Her voice took a calmer edge as she gripped his upper arms and shook him slightly. "You will be a great Taicho to Squad Five, Ichigo, and I know, when you put you heart and mind to it, nothing will stop you from doing what you feel is right." She let go of him and smiled softly. "Besides, it's customary for new Taichos to decide what discipline their squad should adhere to and specialise in at the end of their first month. You have until then to work out what you want to teach them."

At first, Ichigo looked stunned, but then he smiled, ignoring his reddened cheek from where she had slapped him. He let out a chuckle.

"How do you know just what to say, Rukia?" he asked. She smirked, folding her arms over her chest.

"I guess you're just that easy to read," she replied. He chuckled again.

"I guess so," he said, moving off. "I'd better get back to the Fifth. Give Ukitake-san my regards." And with that, he left in a flurry of Shunpo. Rukia smiled, staring at the space he had resided in moments earlier.

"I will," she said to the wind, before disappearing off herself, knowing that their training was progressing nicely.

* * *

_Alright, I hope you enjoyed that._

_Truth be told, I had every intention to make Ichigo crap at Kido, but I decided to factor in his high growth rate too, and it ended up like this. Hope you all thought that was fitting._

_Anyway, I don't know when my next update will be here; I'm juggling with CCF on Mondays, school work, homework, being an engineering mentor and volunteering at the local charity shop in my real life. Combine that with four stories on the go here and my current bout of sickness (nothing major, but my throat seems to want me dead :/), it could be a while before the next update._

_Don't worry, I won't give up on this ever; it's too much fun on my part._

_Anyway, please let me know what you think, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me :)_

_Later, everyone :)_


	5. IMPORTANT NOTICE

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

I'm really sorry to all of you waiting on the next update for this story, but you may be waiting for some time. Let me explain.

I've been held up by three AS Maths exams this year already, and the next half of the year looks to be just as hectic for me. I've come to realise that I've bitten off more than I can chew (I may be hard-headed enough to push passed it usually, but I don't think I can this time), so I've come up with a plan to ease the pressure on this side, where I can actually let up a little.

First of all, no, I'm not ceasing all writing; I would drive myself insane if I did that, and I'm already on the verge as is. So, why am I saying all this? I feel you need an explanation for what I'm about to say;

_**I am placing Bonds Beyond Dimensions under hiatus for the time being.**_

Don't flip; here's my reasoning;

This will be my longest running story of them all, and already has a strong fanbase, meaning there will be people waiting for its return.

I have ideas on a daily basis for most stories, but not this one, meaning I'm having trouble starting the next chapter. This will give me time to create an overlay or outlook of what I want to do and when.

One of my other stories is halfway done, and another is almost finished, meaning this will only go on until I finish one of them off. Hopefully, that will only be a few months at maximum.

It really pains me to do this to my most popular work, but I don't have much choice in the matter anymore. One final point; as long as this message remains in the chapter screen, this story is on hiatus, so it will be replaced when I come back.

Jeez, this is getting lengthy now. I'm off for now, everyone.

Happy New Year, and all the best until I return to this story.

_Rertyan the Dark_


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